Dreaming
by whatsamatta
Summary: When your dreams become realistic, and your reality fantastical, would you still be able to tell the difference and stay sane?
1. 3 Outsiders, 1 Judith and the Libras

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold, or the songs **_3 Libras_**, **_The Outsider_**, or **_Judith_**, all of which are done by A Perfect Circle. Really, this one is kinda weird, so it's ok if you don't like it – it won't hurt my feelings. If you do like it, I'm willing to extend. Also, for these kinds of fics I like to keep the characters older, but I'll leave you to decide just how old. Read, Review, and Spread the word.**_

HA

Dark. That was the first thing Arnold noticed when he opened his eyes. He was in a room on an old crimson cushioned love seat. He didn't remember where he was or how he got there. All he knew was that he belonged here. Slowly, he sat up, trying to allow his eyes become adjusted to the darkness.

Suddenly a door opened, and he found himself staring at an elegant blonde, an elegant beauty. Her hair was cropped short at the chin, and she wore a deep purple 1920s flapper dress. Her lips, a bright and striking red, were a strong contrast to her fair skin. She smiled, and Arnold suddenly knew her.

_Helga . . . ?_

"I'm glad to see you're awake. She's ready to see you. Everyone is waiting." All of a sudden she was right there, in front of him, and he didn't even remember seeing or hearing her move. She was holding out her hand for him to take, and he didn't fail to notice the blush cross her cheeks when he did. Helping him to his feet, she surprised him again when she turned and handed him a black fedora with a red ribbon and a white feather in it. Smiling, it felt right when he put it on his head, right in the middle of his parted and slicked back blonde hair. She adjusted it quickly, before smoothing out the shoulders and chest of his black zuit suit.

"Perfect." She smiled genuinely at him, then turned to show him out.

He followed her down a long hallway, their heels clicking on the wood floor. Slowly, the sound was drowned out by music and laughter; the loudest of all emerging from a set of double doors they had somehow approached. She pushed them open, motioning for him to enter first. As soon as he did, she entered and shut the door, standing behind him with her head bowed.

Arnold noted that room most definitely held a party. Old furniture similar to what he awoke on was scattered about the floor, along with many large Hookahs. Next to each large piece of seating was an oak table, were crystal stemware with wine, and crystal bowls sat contentedly. He noticed also that the wine was red, and the bowls held what appeared to be some sort of orange candy.

He also recognized almost everyone in the room as people he knew, but for some reason couldn't figure out where he knew them, or who they were. He still didn't have very many memories, but all the ones that came back seemed to have had Helga in them.

"Helga." A soft yet stern voice broke the calm flow, and quickly Helga was at his side.

"Yes Lila?" There was a red head sprawled out across a dark blue love seat, Hookah hose in one hand and a wine glass in the other.

"Why don't you get Arnold some wine?" She asked, and Helga sent him a coy smile before she sauntered off to retrieve one of the wine glasses. The red head now identified as Lila nodded for Arnold to approach her, and he did without hesitation. He watched with sinful delight as she took a drag from whatever drug was in her bowl. She turned back to look at him with half lidded eyes, and opened her mouth to allow the smoke to escape in a single, white, perfect cloud. She smiled, and Helga had handed him a small flute of red wine – Pinot Noir without a doubt.

"Now, Arnold, what can I do for you?" she asked as Helga held out one of the bowls for her, and Lila took out one single candy with long fingernails painted red.

"_Help me if you can. It's just that this, is not the way I'm wired. So could you please help me understand why you're giving in to all these reckless dark desires?_" He asked, and Lila smirked, knowing all too well where this was going. She had to bare witness to it many times before. If only it wasn't Arnold, she was always fond of him.

"_You're such an inspiration for the ways that I'll never ever choose to be. Oh so many ways for me to show you how the savior has abandoned you._" She took that orange candy and placed it carefully on her tongue, before bringing it back in, allowing the drug to take its course through her system. Helga, meanwhile, frowned. Arnold always meant the world to her, and now he was going down the road many had taken before.

"_Threw you the obvious and you flew with it on your back, a name in your recollection, thrown down among a million same. Difficult not to feel a little bit disappointed and passed over. When I've looked right through and see you naked and oblivious._" She whispered, ignoring the underhanded glare Lila shot her. Meanwhile, Arnold was growing frantic. Why couldn't he remember anything? Why did it feel like there was a void in his soul?

"_You're... Lying to yourself again. Suicidal imbecile, think about it, put it on a fault line. What'll it take to get it through to you precious? I'm Over This. Why do you wanna throw it away like this? Such a mess. Why would I want to watch you disconnect and self-destruct one bullet at a time? What's your rush now? Everyone will have his day to die._" It was starting to come back to him. He and Lila – he and Lila had a thing. A terribly beautiful thing; sinister and twisted and sick and altogether beautiful. He quickly fingered a cross he had found around his neck he never noticed before. But Lila noticed, and her eyes narrowed at the action.

"_Fuck your God, your Lord and your Christ! He did this! Took all you had and left you this way. Still you pray, you never stray; never taste of the fruit. You never thought to question why."_ Lila had gone from shouting furiously to speaking softly again, taking Arnold's hand and brushing it against her breast. Her corset was constricted so tightly, her breasts had been forced to sit high and jut out with every breath she took.

Helga saw the action, and sighed quietly to herself.

"_And you don't see me._" She responded forlornly to anyone who would listen, before sitting in one of the desperately overstuffed chairs, watching the whole affair. What did she think would happen when she fell for Lila's favorite?

But Arnold was having none of it, and harshly ripped his hand back from her grasp.

"_Medicated drama queen. Picture-perfect numb belligerence. Narcissistic drama queen. Craving fame and all it's decadence_." He made his point by motioning to all of the extravagant things she held in her possession, from the Hookahs to the wine, the music to the sexual debauchery he was certain was occurring in the other rooms.

Lila was having none of it though. She desperately clung to his hand, then viciously threw him onto the love seat, before tackling him and ripping at the silver cross and chain around his neck.

"_It's not like you killed someone. It's not like you drove a hateful spear into his side. Praise the one who left you broken down and paralyzed. He did it all for you. He did it all for you._" She mocked, then kissed him full on the mouth. Helga was certain her heart was breaking, so she turned her gaze back to the man who was holding a flame for her to light her cigarette she had placed within its gold holder.

"_But I threw you the obvious just to see if there's more behind the eyes of a fallen angel, the eyes of a tragedy._" She muttered to herself as the man turned back to her close friend, Phoebe, whom he had been trying to seduce all evening. Taking a long, soothing drag, she turned her attention back to the feuding couple.

"_Lying through your teeth again. Suicidal imbecile, think about…Put it on the fault line. What'll it take to get it through to you precious? I'm Over This. Why do you wanna throw it away like this? Such a mess. Why would I want to watch you disconnect and self-destruct one bullet at a time? What's your rush now? Everyone will have his day to die._" Arnold had gotten the upper hand, and was now laying agitatedly between the fiery redhead's legs. Suddenly, she smirked and flipped them over.

"_Oh so many ways for me to show you how your dogma has abandoned you._" She countered, leaning down and capturing his lips in a delightfully corrupt kiss.

Helga turned to away, she could watch no more. And there, to her right and holding out his hand with a wicked grin, was Lila's second favorite, looking lonely and just as heartbroken. She smiled sympathetically, and took his hand.

"_Here I am expecting just a little bit too much from the wounded. But I see, see through it all. See through to see you._" As the two rejected ones made their way for a separate door, Arnold caught sight of them. He watched Helga, and his heart screamed for him to stop her from leaving. Shoving Lila off of him, he made a move towards the young blonde, but his captor held him.

"_They were right about you. They were right about you._" He whispered tragically as she smirked in triumph, eying the cross she just **knew** Helga had given him as a reminder of what they had.

"_Pray to your Christ, to your god. Never taste of the fruit, never stray, never break never---choke on a lie; even though he's the one who did this to you. You never thought to question why._" She poked menacingly, but frowned when she saw Helga standing at the doorway with Brainy, both watching them with mild amusement. How _**dare**_ that little chit try and take what's her's?! She wanted them both; and should very well have them both! Was it not she who supplied them all with the drugs, the wine, the music, and the place to experience it all?! Well, no matter, she will have them both, but first she has to replant the seed inside Arnold's beautiful head.

"'_Cause I threw you the obvious to see what occurs behind the eyes of a fallen angel, eyes of a tragedy. Oh well. Apparently nothing. Apparently nothing at all._" Helga whispered, and Brainy nodded his understanding, although neither really spoke to one another. They both desperately wanted they could not have.

Somehow, Arnold had gained enough ground for a more accurate power play. She was beginning to lose her control over him.

"_Lying to my face again! Suicidal imbecile! Think about it, put it on a fault line!_" He was shouting, but somehow the calm and mellow mood was never disturbed.

"_Not like you killed someone! It's not like you drove a spiteful spear into his side! What'll it take to get it through to you precious? Talk to Jesus Christ As if he knows the reasons why._" She kept driving, but he was shaking his head. He would hear none of it.

"_I'm Over This._" He told her, but she would hear none of it either.

"_He did it all for you. Why do you wanna throw it away like this? Did it all for you._" Everyone was watching them with clouded minds – everyone but Helga and Brainy. They were probably the most lucid of all.

"_Such a mess._"

"_He did it all for you._"

"_Over this...Over this!!!_" Arnold suddenly shouted, tearing away from Lila and backing up, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"_Disconnect and self-destruct one bullet at a time. What's your hurry, everyone will have his day to die._" He continued, and Lila began to realize he was beyond her control now. Helga was wearing a smile that plainly said freedom had a cost.

"_You don't see me. You don't see me at all._" She whispered, but Arnold heard. He sent her a courageous smile, then turned back to Lila with a fierce gaze and clear eyes.

"_If you chose to pull the trigger, should your drama prove sincere, do it somewhere far away from here._" He placed one hand to his forehead and the other over his heart. He then turned to Helga with his arms opened wide, and she ran to him, laughing and kissing him. Their reunion was cut short, however, when they heard the cocking of a gun. The two young lovers turned to find Lila aiming a small pistol at them. At their expressions of shock, she smirked sadistically.

"You insisted." was all she offered, as a loud pop rang out through the building.

***

Arnold shot up, nearly hitting his head on his lamp in the process. Trying to slow his heart rate, he sent a quick one-over his room. His history books were open to the early to mid nineteen hundreds' mobster era with his yellow notebook carelessly laying next to it. His pencil had started to roll off the desk, but was stopped by the bowl of M&Ms Grandpa had brought up earlier; the majority of which were orange. He sighed and stretched, whipping away the drool on his chin as he sent a glance at his clock. **11:58 pm**.

"Man, _**that**_ was a weird dream . . . I think. Man! I can't even remember what happened!" he exclaimed, before giving up and grabbing for his pencil. This wasn't the first time he had fallen asleep while studying for a project and had a strange dream he would never remember.

"'The 1920's was the decade of extreme gluttony, in every thing, but mostly drugs, alcohol, and – ' Hm, that's where I must have fallen asleep." Arnold deduced as he turned back to his books to finish up these pages of notes, then call it a night.

"I better have at least five pages of notes to work with before tomorrow; otherwise Helga will be upset. Ugh, this is such a mess." He told himself as he read over his sloppy and tired handwriting. Wait, 'such a mess'?

_Déjà vu._

Arnold thought about it for a minute longer, before shrugging and deciding it wasn't important. Quietly he shut his book and switched off his light; climbing into bed and ready for a night of dreams to invade his head again.

HA

_**AN: I know, weird, right? So, it's ok if you didn't like this. It was just an experiment I wanted to try by meshing three songs together and seeing what happened. Overall I'm not too disappointed, but hey, you're the reader.**_


	2. My Little Sister, Cry Your Strange Box

_**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Hey Arnold, or any song I've ever mentioned **_ever_**. But it would be cool if I did. Alright, so, with this chapter, I don't like the mash up with the lyrics, but I tried cutting out **_People Are Strange_**, and it was worse. So, you'll just have to endure **_Cry Little Sister_**, **_People Are Strange_**, and **_My Little Box_**. Have fun, and good luck figuring where I'm going with this.**_

HA

Helga's nose burned as she inhaled the clean-cut line through a tightly rolled dollar bill. Gerald laughed and Phoebe giggled as they did their own line, then resumed the kissing they had paused. With a sigh, the short haired blonde looked around the room, taking in all the people snorting lines, inhaling opium and marijuana from hookahs, taking acid and ecstasy pills, drinking wine, and, of course, engaging sexual misbehavior. She caught eyes with Lila, and inwardly flinched as they red head smirked and began walking towards her.

"You know, Arnold asked to see me today. He had really begun to grow fond of me, you know. You do know, don't you?" Helga could sense she was angry, but couldn't find it in herself to respond in kind. It must have been the coke.

"Yes, I did know. Is that a problem?" The red headed vixen's smirk faded, before coming back tenfold and sadistic.

"You can't fool me, Helga. I know what you've been trying to do to him – getting him back his memories. His _**love**_ for you, and I'm letting you know, here and now, that it isn't working. He remembers nothing but me and the world I gave him." Lila almost, _**almost**_ laughed, but that would have ruined the moment, and the wonderful look of confusion on that pretty face Helga had. Slowly, she reached forward to stroke the other woman's cheek, taking pleasure in the softness, before leaning forward to kiss the luscious red lips quickly and sensuously.

"_Silent in my sanity, I live safe inside my cell; in the darkness that surrounds me, I see my own special hell. Comfort in my suffering, Feeling warm inside this pain. The four walls coming down on me, I come on down again_." The red head explained once she broke the kiss, but kept her face close to Helga's. The blonde slowly opened her eyes, before responding with a calm voice.

"_A last fire will rise behind those eyes. Black house will rock, blind boys don't lie. Immortal fear, that voice so clear; through broken walls, that scream I hear_." Lila sneered, and pulled back to deliver a harsh slap that resonated all throughout the room. By this time, Gerald and Phoebe had separated to watch the exchange. Phoebe was worried for her friend, but Gerald held her still.

"_People are strange when you're a stranger. Faces look ugly when you're alone. Women seem wicked when you're unwanted; streets are uneven when you're down_." He reasoned with her, and she nodded her understanding before both turned their attention back to Lila and Helga.

"_I let you win, you come on to me; and you're so fucking brave. A chewed out lighten candle fell in my cool and empty cave. Somewhere in your world they tell you this is what the people need. Doing all that shit on me, and leave me here to bleed_." The red head pulled Helga up to her feet, before shoving her towards the center of the room. Suddenly, everyone was watching, observing, judging. Helga motioned to all those around her, trapped within Lila's vice; trying to reason with the red-headed captor.

"_Cry, little sister_." Helga mocked, then decided that was the wrong way to reason.

"_Thou shall not fall_." Phoebe and Gerald chimed in, trying to help.

"_Come to your brother_." Lorenzo, continued, before taking a drag of opium from the hookah he was sharing with Iggy and Park.

"_Thou shall not die_." It was more than just Gerald and Phoebe now, but Helga and Lila couldn't be sure who else it was.

"_Unchain me, sister_." That was Rhonda as she allowed Thad's lips to descend from her own mouth to her neck.

"_Thou shall not fear_." Most of the room was definitely saying this, but Lila was too busy focusing on Helga.

"_Love is with your brother_." Brainy whispered from his spot in the corner, stewing in his sorrow.

"_Thou shall not kill_." The two women were now certain everyone was speaking to them, whether they were looking at the focal point or not.

"_When you're strange, faces come out of the rain. When you're strange, no one remembers your name. When you're strange. When you're strange. When you're strange_." Gerald and Phoebe continued their side conversation, their eyes never leaving Helga and Lila.

"_Cradle falls - I live safe inside my cell; in the darkness that surrounds me- Unholy walls_." Lila bemoaned as she collapsed back onto her love seat, while Helga remained standing.

"_Blue masquerade, strangers look on; when will they learn this loneliness? Temptation heat beats like a drum deep in your veins, I will not lie_." Lila sighed, not quite understanding if Helga was talking about herself, or the red head.

"_Cradle falls, unholy walls. Cradle falls_." She was mumbling now, and Helga was wondering if their subjugator was finally perceiving their plight, or was losing her mind.

"_People are strange when you're a stranger; faces look ugly when you're alone. Women seem wicked when you're unwanted; streets are uneven when you're down_." Gerald and Phoebe whispered again, watching with more intensity as Brainy slowly made his way towards the opposing sides.

"_Silent in my sanity, I live safe inside my cell; in the darkness that surrounds me, I see my own special hell. Comfort in my suffering, Feeling warm inside this pain. The four walls coming down on me, I come on down again_." Lila repeated as she watched with wide eyes, Brainy approach, and kneel while taking her hands in his.

"_Little sister_." He began to reason, kissing each of her knuckles.

"_Thou shall not fall_." Helga led everyone into the chant, watching the two with care.

"_Come to your brother_." The man behind the glasses continued.

"_Thou shall not die_."

"_Unchain me, sister_." Brainy was adamant in his persuasion.

"_Thou shall not fear_."

"_Love is with your brother_." He kissed her palms passively.

"_Thou shall not kill_." Helga was the only one who spoke that time, causing Lila to turn her attention from her suitor to the young woman.

"_You woke me out of my secret grave. You let your pretty world in_." Lila accused, and while her words sounding praising, her tone was cruel.

"_When you're strange, faces come out of the rain. When you're strange, no one remembers your name. When you're strange. When you're strange. When you're strange_." Park and Iggy had joined Gerald and Phoebe on the love seat, and inserted themselves into the conversation the two had already started. Phoebe and Gerald nodded, before the four looked back at the trio commanding the center of the room.

"_Cradle falls - I live silently inside my cell; you woke me out of my sin. Unholy walls - You woke me out of my secret grave; you let your pretty world in. Fall _. . ." Lila shouted at Helga, before dropping off into silence.

"_My Shangri-Las, I can't forget why you were mine. I need you now_." Brainy began again, kissing up her arm. But apart from pulling her arm out of his grasp, she showed no sign of hearing him.

"_Now you're in my world; did you dream it be so small? My little box was perfect 'till you destroyed it all. My sanctity of sorrow gone, forever in its place the sacred sweet of you is all that's left to taste_." Lila smirked, side stepping Brainy and heading straight for Helga. Without any warning or hesitation, she latched onto Helga's lips again, holding her in a bruising kiss. Gerald and Phoebe watched this in alarmed interest. What had brought _**that**_ on?

"_When you're strange, faces come out of the rain. When you're strange, no one remembers your name. When you're strange. When you're strange. When you're strange_." Gerald had to hold back a laugh as Helga pushed Lila away from her lightly.

"_Feeling claustrophobic, now my world is closing in. Subtle retribution: Where I am and where I've been. I'll take you to a place you never knew could be. Curled up, in my little box . . . Cradle falls_." Lila backed away, but whispered so no one but Helga heard. And suddenly she was lounging on the love seat again, shooing Brainy away from her. She had a smirk on her lips, and Brainy appeared heartbroken.

"_Cry, little sister_." Helga smirked in kind to Lila's look.

"_Thou shall not fall_." Everyone who was confused or too drugged to care spoke calmly, in unison.

"_Come to your brother_." Gerald mumbled to Phoebe, going in to kiss her, only to be rejected. He was going to have to seduce her all over again.

"_Thou shall not die_."

"_Unchain me, sister_." Helga pleaded, not only for herself, but her friends, and Arnold, as well.

"_Thou shall not fear_."

"_Love is with your brother_." Brainy muttered brokenly before going to find a lighter so he could smoke a cigarette.

"_Thou shall not kill_."

Helga and Lila shared a look, before Lila leaned back and unattached a hose from a hookah for her usage.

"Helga, I am ready to see Arnold. Please go and see if he's awake." She asked calmly, and Helga flashed an empty smile before nodding and heading for the door.

"Alright." She acknowledged, and just as her hand was on the doorknob, Lila's voice halted her.

"Oh, and Helga?" Helga didn't fully turn around, but sent a look over her shoulder.

"Yes?" Lila was suddenly next to her, spinning her around, and slapping her hard across the face. When a red spot began to form beneath her left eye, she tenderly leaned forward to kiss it, before moving her lips to Helga's ear.

"Arnold is mine. Never forget it." Helga nodded again before rushing out the door. As soon as it shut behind her, she opened a small hand held, and took out a little straw. She bent forward and snorted the powder from the container, the quickly sighed and wiped her nose, enjoying the rush and the burn. Without realizing it, she found herself outside the door to the room Arnold was sleeping in. She opened it carefully, and found him sitting up and looking around confused. She smiled, forgetting everything for a moment to just watch him, before remembering her place.

"I'm glad to see you're awake. She's ready to see you. Everyone is waiting."

HA

The sound of a freight truck going _**way**_ over the speed limit awoke Helga. Slowly she reached up to wipe at her nose, still feeling the burning sensation. It even felt like there might have been blood, but a quick check disproved the thought. She sighed, throwing the blankets from her legs and going towards the bathroom.

She turned on the water of the shower and felt it change to her perfect temperature, before examining her face in the mirror. She noticed, but didn't call attention to the red mark on her left cheek below the eye. With a smirk, she striped and climbed under the hot and forceful spray.

_It's been getting more realistic every single night. Now my cheek is red, probably bruised, and my nose burns like I really have been snorting cocaine. _

She signed as she began to lather her almond mint shampoo into her hair, thinking about her dreams and what they could mean.

_Hm, Lila is bisexual? Didn't see that one coming. Wonder what Phoebe will say about this one . . ._

HA**  
**


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